1. Remembering DKR. From Texas starting in the wishbone to the school
marching band spelling out “R-O-Y-A-L.” The game was about the life and
memory of Darrell Royal. Even players who weren’t even born when Royal
was coaching understood the meaning. “He basically built this place,”
Jaxon Shipley said.

2. The offense is coming together. David Ash has put his shaky
ineffective performance at Kansas behind him and has a passer rating of
210.5 in his last two games. He and Mike Davis are clicking on deep
balls and Texas got Jaxon Shipley more involved. Joe Bergeron and
Johnathan Gray combined for 161 yards on 26 carries. And Bryan Harsin’s
play-calling was very confident outside of the fourth-down gamble.

3. The defense is improving. In the 10 quarters against Oklahoma,
Baylor and the first half against Kansas, Texas allowed 127 points and
1,482 yards. In the 10 quarters since against Kansas, Texas Tech and
Iowa State, Texas has yielded 32 points and 793 total yards. Texas won’t
be dominant on “D” this season but it won’t be a season-killing
disaster either.

4. Bowling. Barring a loss to TCU on Thanksgiving, the AT&T
Cotton Bowl Classic remains a distinct proposition, regardless of what
happens at Kansas State.

5. DKR one more time. He was a Texas original and one of the most
influential and innovative college football coaches of all time. It was
his fitting that his widow, Edith, was awarded the game ball.

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